FREESTYLE SKIING: Smith and Naeslund win in Innichen

Two more wuSwedish Freestyle star Sandra Naeslund

The Freestyle Skiing Ski Cross season finally got underway with races in Arosa (SUI) and Innichen (ITA), with veterans Fanny Smith (SUI) and Sandra Naeslund (SWE) winning the three events.

Smith, the 2013 World Champion, won in Arosa and won the first race in Innichen for her 14th and 15th career World Cup wins. Naeslund, the reigning World Cup champ, won the second Ski Cross race.

What was supposed to be a longer Cross Alps Tour was cut down to three events and Naeslund managed to win with 260 points, with Smith at 245 and Canada’s Marielle Thompson at 190.

The men’s races in Innichen were won by France’s Jonathan Midol – his first career World Cup win – and Joos Berry (SUI), his first career World Cup medal! Jonathan’s brother, Bastien Midol (FRA), scored two silvers, his fourth and fifth career World Cup medals, but his first since 2016.

Bastien Midol won the Cross Alps Tour, with Jonathan Midol second and Canada’s Brady Leman third. Summaries:

FIS Freestyle World Cup
Arosa (SUI) ~ 17 December 2018
(Full results here)

Men’s Ski Cross/Big Final: 1. Jonas Lenherr (SUI); 2. Victor Oehling Norberg (SWE); 3. Alex Fiva (SUI); 4. Bastien Midol (FRA).

Women’s Ski Cross/Big Final: 1. Fanny Smith (SUI); 2. Sandra Naeslund (SWE); 3. Marielle Thompson (CAN); 4. Andrea Limbacher (AUT).

FIS Freestyle World Cup
Innichen (ITA) ~ 21-22 December 2018
(Full results here)

Men’s Ski Cross I/Big Final: 1. Jonathan Midol (FRA); 2. Bastien Midol (FRA); 3. Brady Leman (CAN); 4. Paul Eckert (GER).

Men’s Ski Cross II/Big Final: 1. Joos Berry (SUI); 2. B. Midol (FRA); 3. J. Midol (FRA); 4. Eckert (GER).

Women’s Ski Cross I/Big Final: 1. Fanny Smith (SUI); 2. Sandra Naeslund (SWE); 3. Marielle Berger Sabbatel (FRA); 4. Marielle Thompson (CAN).

Women’s Ski Cross II/Big Final: 1. Naeslund (SWE); 2. M. Thompson (CAN); 3. Sanna Luedi (SUI); 4. Berger Sabbatel (FRA).